Coldest night in Srinagar as mercury dips to minus 2.8 degree, chill to intensify further

The summer capital, Srinagar, already reeling under unscheduled and long power cuts, recorded coldest night of the winter so far after the mercury recorded further drop and settled at minus 2.8 degree.

However, Leh in Ladakh region was coldest in the region with minus 8 degree minimum temperature. Chill will further tighten its grip in the Kashmir Valley, where people are suffering with cold related diseases due to dry weather for the past four months.

Met Department spokesperson said here this afternoon that weather will remain dry in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 72 hours which could result in further drop in the mercury. However, there is possibility of isolated rain in Kashmir and Jammu on December 10 and 11.

People in Srinagar, facing unscheduled and long power cuts daily, including in metered areas, recorded coldest night of the winter so far as minimum temperature dropped and settled at minus 2.8 degree, three notches below normal. Earlier coldest night was minus 2.7 degree recorded on November 17.

However, majority people remained indoor due to restrictions imposed by the authorities to foil Lal Chowk Challo call and strike, called by separatists who are super-heading the agitation since July 9.

People, particularly children and elderly persons, are suffering with cold related diseases, including chest infection, headache and bad-cold besides fever due to dry chill.

Though sun was playing hide and seek, the intensity of heat was very low as cold winds also continued.

Met spokesperson said the sky would be mainly clear with haze and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 13 degree and minus 3 degree in Srinagar during the next 24 hours.

Severe weather woes also continued in other parts of the Kashmir valley, including world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, famed health resort of Pahalgam and Sonmarg where the temperature remained below freezing point.

People in Ladakh region, including on the borders, where security forces remained deployed to foil any infiltration attempt, continued to face severe cold as the mercury was between minus 10 to minus 35 degree.

Met spokesperson said the minimum temperature was minus 8 degree at Leh, where majority water bodies remained frozen.

He said the sky would be remain clear and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 11 degree and minus 8 degree respectively during the next 24 hours at Leh.

At Jammu the winter capital, the minimum temperature was 9 degree, a notch below normal while the maximum temperature was 23.4 degree, slightly above normal.

He said the sky would be mainly clear with haze and the maximum and minimum temperature would be around 23 degree and 9 degree respectively during the next 24 hours at Jammu.